The Legend of Zelda: The Enchantment
by malberry
Summary: This...this can't possibly be the Hero of Legend...can it? Thx to *ZeldaMiss* for contribution to the original concept


The old woman stood in the center of the throne room, hunched and slow before King Zeldaius and Queen Daphne. Her dark skin contrasted sharply against the bright, silken fabrics and the gleaming golden jewelry she wore. The King and Queen exchanged nervous glances, before turning to address the woman again.

"You are a Gerudo. Why should we take your word for truth? Why are you even here?" Queen Daphne demanded.

"Because I know, that among the members of your family lives one with a crest upon their hand, just as Ganon and the Hero himself had. It has been known to the Gerudo for many years, that _three_ crests would have to exist, that two would be necessary to defeat the third. It was why the Hero could only lock Ganon away in the Temple rather than kill him, and why Ganon could not kill the Hero, but have his witches entomb the Hero as well. Those same witches have succeeded in finally releasing Ganon, who will not have aged in the Temple, and it is he now who destroys the villages surrounding Hyrule. But one with a crest will not kill him alone, only two together shall defeat the Demon King."

In a small, hidden enclave behind the thrones of the King and Queen, the oldest of their 8 children stood shaking. Jewelry and long sleeves had hidden the crest she bore from anyone outside her family. But her parents knew of it; the King and Queen were aware that Zelda had been born 16 years ago with a golden Triforce crest upon the back of her left hand, just as a lowly goat herder had been born with a crest upon his own hand decades earlier.

"How did you know this, woman?" King Zeldaius straightened in his chair.

"I will mean no disrespect when I say this, Your Highness," the old woman said, addressing the king, "but your grandfather was quite taken with the dark beauty I once was, many years ago. His hands were no secret to me. And neither was the Triforce crest borne upon them."

Behind the king's great beard, his face reddened. The queen's eyebrow raised, yet she made no comment.

The old woman laughed. "It is alright, it was not his time to step from his duties to defeat Ganon. In those times, Ganon was not as powerful as he is now, and though it displayed your grandfather's cowardice not to enter the battle, it is what the Goddesses willed anyway. However, now one of your _children_ will need to do what your grandfather could not."

"I have no loyalty to the Gerudo, who destroyed what little claim I have left to this world, under Ganon's command," the old woman continued. "My home was Ordon Village, destroyed just hours ago by flame and plunder. The mayor Bo and his daughter Ilia are dead, and the rest of us have been driven out and scattered to the winds. My home is gone."

 _Ilia is…dead?_ Zelda thought. Her eyes welled with tears, at the knowledge that her only true friend and her beloved handmaiden had died. _She had only just gone to visit her father, and now she's dead?_ Zelda despaired at the thought that she'd never see her best friend alive ever again. Her heart felt heavy, as memories of days spent with Ilia as a child, running through the castle garden, consumed her thoughts.

"And when I walk beyond your gates, I imagine the Gerudo will take my own life from me as well, for having come to you now." The old woman shook her head. "I was once a general of the Gerudo, a soldier. But time has taken my strength, and the Gerudo have taken my will to exist. I defy them now as I did when I left their ranks, and that alone brings me my satisfaction. I am content to accept anything they do to me now."

King Zeldaius stood up. "If what you say is true, and the Hero of Legend still lives beyond the edge of the Black Forest, then you shall not fear the Gerudo. You will take your remaining years in happiness here, for having helped to save Hyrule. Now please, I beg you, teach our daughter Zelda the spell she will need to release the Hero from his prison; it is she, our eldest, who carries the crest."

The old woman shook her head. "She will not need to know any spell, but by the grace of the Goddesses alone will she awaken the Hero from his mind's slumber. She is Hyrulean, and I am sure that she has mastery of at least a few spells that will help her find the Hero. The magic of the two crests _together_ is stronger than any spell the Gerudo witches have cast. But know this as well…Should Ganon find the young princess first, he will not hesitate to take her to his side of the battle, as _either_ crest joined with a second can defeat the third. The Hero will have no chance to defeat Ganon if the princess is at Ganon's side, and not his own."

The Queen looked as if she were about to faint. "Zelda is only 16! She cannot undertake such a thing! She…"

"She _must_ , Your Highness. This is not my choice, nor yours, nor even hers. The Goddesses have willed as such, and she must set free the Hero from his imprisonment." The old lady bowed her head. "I will pray that the Goddesses keep her safe, Your Highnesses. I would that no one further should be harmed at the hand of the Demon King Ganon."

-OxoXoxO-

As the heavy wooden gates closed behind her, Zelda stalled her horse and turned to look at her castle home one last time. The sun could no longer be seen over the horizon, and thick purple autumn clouds billowed across the sky. The leaves had begun to fall from the trees, and would help to mask her movements through the Black Forest. In secret she would be traveling, alone and unaided, to find the holding place where the Hero of Legend was said to be imprisoned by the Demon King's witches. It was hard for the young princess to believe, that after dozens of years, the Hero would still be alive and able to battle. Knowing that Ganon's troops were almost daily burning the tiny villages that surrounded Hyrule, the Hero would need to be found as soon as possible, or Hyrule itself would fall.

Dressed in her beloved handmaiden's own clothes of a heavy grey woolen cloak, a simple traveling frock and riding boots, Zelda could easily pass as one of the poor villagers who were now displaced and homeless due to Ganon's attacks. The only difference was, that Zelda also wore the Master Sword strapped to her back, underneath her simple clothes. Having taken it from the pedestal in the center of Hyrule Castle, Zelda knew it would be the weapon that the Hero would need immediately to take on the Demon King Ganon.

Though Zelda should have been frightened to enter the Black Forest at nightfall, the only emotion she could register was her sadness. Zelda desperately tried to push from her mind any thoughts of how Ilia must have suffered, but at times her grief overcame her, and she would cry out in anguish. At one point, however, as she began to enter the forest itself, she was sure something wailed back at her.

Zelda's horse began to get nervous as she passed the tree line and entered the darkened forest. There was a sound similar to rainfall all around her, from the rustle of leaves falling. While it calmed her somewhat, it also made it difficult to hear if any animal or person was near the trail. She really didn't know where she was going, but allowed the Goddesses to guide her through the Triforce crest upon her hand. She felt drawn to certain trails, and she slowly guided her horse through the woods, the moon being her only light illuminating the paths.

Suddenly, her horse stopped. Zelda's heart quickened as she realized that her horse could sense something dangerous nearby, and she held her breath in a vain attempt to listen. Without warning, her horse reared and sprinted forward, nearly throwing her from the saddle. Zelda held tight, however, as the sound of something running behind her, _toward her_ , could be heard over her horse's own galloping.

In the pitch-black night, Zelda heard a snarling voice bellow out through the woods, shouting to unseen forces,

" _GET THE GIRL! BRING HER TO ME!"_

Zelda gasped in terror, and she spurred her horse on faster. In the moonlight, she could see a fork in the path ahead of her, and, not knowing which way to go, she let her horse lead toward the path on the right. As she entered the path at full gallop, she immediately felt lost, as if she'd chosen the wrong path. But there was no way to turn around; only a few paces behind her were things, _monsters_ , much larger than herself and her horse together, grunting and waving swords that gleamed in the moonlight.

On a fast whim, Zelda yanked her horse's rein to the left, and she exited the moonlit path, penetrating the heavy woods toward the path she hadn't taken. The monsters growled and snarled behind her, as they entangled themselves in the underbrush and narrow spaces between the trees. She could hear them chopping and wracking at the woods, but the moonlight didn't shine this far under the leafy canopy to light their way. Zelda solely trusted her own instincts and those of her horse, and pressed on as fast as her horse would gallop over fallen logs and whipping branches.

Soon Zelda had reached the other path, and she could no longer hear the monsters directly behind her. She spurred her horse on again, and galloped full speed down the trail. Off in a distance, muffled by the woods, she could hear the bellowing voice again, and she knew it would be the Demon King issuing his orders to his giant, terrifying monsters. At one point, she heard a deathly howl that stopped abruptly, as if the Demon King had mortally punished one of his failing monsters then and there. Zelda shivered as she rode on, sure that Ganon would be just as lethal with her, if he were to only catch her.

On the path ahead, Zelda could see the moonlight open widely to reveal a huge circular clearing, walled in by stone fences that backed up to foothills behind them. It looked like a grazing field, but it was badly overgrown, with heavy brush around the edge and some younger trees growing within it. On the far end was the ruins of an old barn. A broken wooden gate lay half-hung on its hinges between her path and the clearing, and Zelda slowly reined her horse nearer to it. By riding through the clearing, Zelda knew she could be riding into an ambush, but her instincts guided her on, telling her that it was where she needed to go. She rode at a trot through the overgrown field, trying to stay near the young trees as cover, but she was aware that if anyone were nearby they could easily see her. She rode unto the old barn, entering cautiously, then she dismounted and tied the rein to a wooden post.

Zelda walked slowly through the barn, which was partially lit inside by a large hole in the roof that allowed the bright moonlight in. She came upon some stairs in the back, and she climbed them carefully, feeling the wood creak and shift under her feet. She was terrified that the stairwell would give way and collapse, yet it held enough until she reached the loft at the top. It seemed as if it was any other hayloft, yet her instincts compelled her to keep going, to walk the length of the barn. As she reached the other side, she heard her horse whinny low beneath her, and it frightened her. She hoped her horse was not trying to warn her of dangers nearby.

Suddenly, her eyes adjusted to the darkened hayloft, and she could make out a narrow door near the back corner. She moved quickly toward the door and opened it, startling at what she saw behind it. It was a path made of rope, like a rope-bridge, that seemed to connect the old barn to a huge tree nearby. Zelda nearly turned around to leave the hayloft, but her heart pressed her on, as if to guarantee to her worried mind that she'd be safe.

Zelda set both of her hands upon the extended ropes on either side of her, and placed her foot gently upon the single rope below her. She heaved a terrified sigh, hoping her breath would not fail her and cause her to faint at the height. The rope bridge shimmied and shuddered beneath her, but it held fast, and she quickened her pace. Soon she was at the giant tree, a rare kind that grew only sparsely in the Black Forest. The trunk was nearly as round as a cottage would be, with branches wider than herself. There was an actual landing at the end of the rope bridge, and a wooden door, which she pressed open slowly. Inside, she turned her left palm upright, and a magical glow exuded from her hand, gently illuminating the room inside the tree.

Immediately, Zelda was both charmed and saddened. This must have been a room that belonged to the young goat herder who became the Hero. There was a small game table painted with red and black squares, and a shelf with some haggard books. She was surprised to learn that the young man could read, as most of the villagers could not. She felt intrigued to know more, and she picked up a book that appeared to be handmade. As she opened the binding, it began to collapse from age in her hand, and her heart grew sorrowful. Yet one page still appeared to be readable, and she held her glowing hand above it. She smiled as she read it aloud:

 _The rain fell lightly today. Though the goats seemed annoyed at the chill mist, I know it is a sign that spring will be here within days. I look forward to the days of fresh fruit on the trees and the sun warming my back. Maybe this will be the year I find a wife, as I feel my days of careless youth are ending, like the winter is ending now._

Having this piece of the Hero's journal in her hand felt almost magical, as if she had been blessed by the Goddesses to share in this small part of his life. Zelda carefully folded up the thick piece of paper and set it into a pocket on the inside of her cloak. It was obvious that this room was just an extension of the Hero's home, so Zelda peered through the door she hadn't come in. Another precarious rope bridge was there, yet this time she did not hesitate; Zelda felt she was near to the Hero and her heart was beginning to quicken. The crest on her hand began to glow gently, and suddenly she knew: the Hero of Legend had been imprisoned in _his own home_.

Zelda climbed across the rope bridge that angled upward, and reached the landing of yet another giant tree. She was now fairly high up from the ground, and the height terrified her. She assumed there would be another room behind the wooden door, but this time she felt nervous. Her instincts were telling her that she had found where the Hero would be. This tree was much larger and much higher from the ground than the previous tree had been, and there was handmade ornamentation and decoration on the door. She looked around the tree the best she could, and she could see shuttered windows on either side. No light seemed to shine through any of the window slats, nor from under the door. Regardless, Zelda smoothed her traveling frock, and straightened her cloak. She kicked a wad of mud from her boot, determined to look somewhat presentable to the Hero of Legend. She curled her hand, and knocked on the door gently.

There was no answer.

Zelda's heartbeat slowed somewhat, but as it was nighttime it was possible he was just asleep. She knocked again, somewhat louder.

No answer.

Zelda's shoulders slumped, and she became dismayed. It had been decades since anyone had seen the Hero, and no one had been aware that he had been imprisoned in his own home. Everyone had just assumed he'd left for a new chance at life after battling the Demon King Ganon. She was afraid to just enter his home, and she was afraid that she also might become imprisoned in this treetop. But her hand continued to glow, and it began to settle her heart and steel her nerves. She knew what she had to do.

Zelda set her hand upon the doorknob and turned it gently. She walked through the door and into the darkened room.

Suddenly the home came alive before her, as a small fire crackled on the clay hearth, with soup cooking in a big pot hanging above it. Fresh herbs hung near the hearth to dry. A mug and a pitcher of water sat on a small table near one of the open windows, which had been shuttered when she looked at them from the outside. A broom stood against a wall of shelves, with jars and foodstuffs lined upon it. A breezy white shirt and a heavy woolen tunic the color of deep green lay across the back of a wooden chair, and a pair of heavy field boots sat below them on the floor. A random display of small hand tools and weapons hung neatly upon the wall. Near the back of the room lay a bed of hay and pelts, and upon that bed was a man sleeping, facing the wall and covered by a woven blanket of blue. Zelda gasped, and quietly closed the door behind her.

She walked up to the sleeping man's bed, but she stopped just behind him. She knew she had limited time before the Demon King and his monsters would find her, but all of this was so confusing. Why did the house seem as if nothing was wrong? Was the witches' enchantment that strong? Was this even the Hero of Legend?

She had to know. Zelda knelt down behind the sleeping man, and gently set her hand upon his blanketed shoulder. She shook him gently, and whispered,

"Sir? Sir, please, if you are the Hero, please wake up and speak with me…"

The man grunted, and pulled the blanket further up over his head.

"…Telma, I have not drunk so, wake me later, _please_ …" he mumbled. Zelda startled. This did not sound like an elderly man. The smokey blond hair jutting out from under the blanket was most definitely not grey. Who was this man?

Zelda began to panic, worrying that the instinct she followed had brought her to the wrong place. She stood up suddenly, and stomped her foot loudly.

"Sir! I am asking you to awaken and tell me who you are!" Zelda yelled.

The startled man threw the blanket from his body and suddenly sat upright. His barely-awake eyes were squinted in the bright light, and he did not realize that he was dressed only in a pair of breeches. Zelda gasped at the bare-chested young man before her, and she quickly turned around. _He is maybe only 18 or 19 years old, and a strong young man if his body is any indication_ , Zelda thought, blushing. This was _not_ the weakened, elderly man she had been expecting.

"What do you mean, to come into _my_ home and demand _my_ name? I should dare ask who _you_ are, miss!" The young man stood up, completely uncaring of his disheveled and partly-clothed state. He walked over to where his shirt and tunic lay across the chair, which was now directly in front of Zelda. As he bent to the floor to pull his boots on, she gasped again, and tried in vain to look away. Her eyes caught another glimpse of the young man's chest as he pulled his shirt on over his head, and she blushed greatly.

"Sir, I apologize, but my actions were necessary. I am the Crown Princess Zelda of Hyrule," Zelda replied, as the young man stopped a pace before her.

"You mistake yourself, miss. There is no Princess of Hyrule. King Harkinian has no daughters, only sons." The young man stood squarely before Zelda, and set his hands upon his hips as he stared down into her eyes. Zelda felt some amount of defiance toward the young man, being that she was at least 2 palms' width shorter than he was. "Now, maiden, please tell me who you are."

"I…I am the Crown Princess Zelda," Zelda's voice grew stronger as she spoke, "daughter of King Zeldaius, son of King Nohansen, son of King Harkinian of Hyrule. I am here by the will of the Goddesses to find the Hero of Legend, and I need to know if you know where he is, _sir_."

The young man's face startled. Her sequence of words did not seem to make sense. There could be no Crown Princess of Hyrule, but…he did not feel like she may be lying. His instincts told him that she was telling the truth.

"Miss, I am who the people call the Hero. I am the man who carries the Triforce crest and who fought the Demon King Ganon. I am not the 'Hero of Legend' you are seeking…I only fought Ganon just days ago."

Zelda's heart skipped a beat. "You are him, then, sir…you are the Hero of Legend. But I do not know how to tell you, that…that this has been your imprisonment. Time, _decades_ , have passed since you fought Ganon, and you have been here, as you are now."

The young man's eyes widened. His mouth opened slightly as he pulled in a haggard breath. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Miss, I would dare not call you a liar, but how can this be? I…it has been only days, maybe three, since I fought the Demon King. I have not aged; my home is as it was…where…what about Ordon?"

Zelda felt immediate sadness for having to tell the young man that, after all he'd done for her kingdom, he was still imprisoned by the witches nonetheless.

"Sir, I do not feel right calling you merely 'Hero'. May I ask your name?"

"Link, miss. My name is Link. Please, miss, sit down with me and explain what has happened?" Link gestured toward one of the chairs at the small table, and Zelda reached for the chair to pull it back. Link instead pulled back her chair for her to sit, then bowed slightly toward her. He sat down across from Zelda.

"Sir Link-" Zelda began.

"Please, miss, call me Link." Link's eyes had an aura of pleading, as if he were desperate to know why Zelda was in his home.

"Link, then…I will ask you to call me Zelda. I have no greater place in our world than you do." Zelda smiled weakly at the young man, who still stared at her desperately. "You, Link, have been enchanted by Ganon's witches. After you imprisoned him in the Temple, his witches could not kill you, but imprisoned you as well. I do not know why time has not passed for you. But, Link…time has indeed passed, and…"

"What about my friends? What about my herd? Bo…tell me about Bo…did he not try to find me? He is my best friend!" Link's voice rose, and though Zelda knew he was not upset at her, it still greatly saddened her to know she would have to be the one who explained what Link had lost in his life.

"Link, I believe it has been about 40 years since you fought Ganon. I do not think anyone knew you were here, except Ganon's witches. Even I, as I stood outside your home, saw no light nor life in your home. It was not until I came into the enchantment with you that I saw you here. Bo, your friend, had grown. He was mayor of Ordon. His daughter Ilia was my best friend, and even she was now 19 years old. But Link…Ganon has been set free, and he has not aged either. He attacked Ordon today; he set it afire. Both Bo and Ilia died trying to save it." Zelda saw the horror in Link's eyes, as his tears began to form. She lowered her head, and her own tears flowed from her eyes for her lost friend. Neither Link nor Zelda spoke, yet she slowly, hesitantly, set her right hand upon his. He did not pull his hand away, but instead he held her hand gently.

"I am…I am so sorry, Link," Zelda said, as a tear fell from her cheek untended. "You did not deserve to have your life taken from you in such a terrible way. And you do not deserve to have to fight the Demon King yet again. But it is why I am here. I think…that I was able to enter your enchantment, and maybe even end it, because you and I share a common destiny."

Link looked confused. Zelda raised her left hand from her lap, and set it upon their still-together hands. Both Link and Zelda's left hands glowed with the crest of the Triforce. Link did not startle, nor gasp…he merely tilted his head slightly to the side, as if he understood.

"You were brave to come here alone, Zelda," Link said finally. "So much braver than King Harkinian ever was."

Zelda startled. "You knew? You knew there was a third crest?"

"Yes…yes I did. But it was…not my place…to tell my king what he should and should not do. I was…just a lowly goat herder. I was more… _easily replaced_ , than the King of Hyrule would have been." Link did not seem angry as he said this, but his face did display a great sadness and disappointment. "It was also not my place, to deny the Goddesses, nor to cast aside my destiny. I did what I was intended to do," Link said, and he sat up straighter. Zelda held tight her hand against his.

"The people of Hyrule have nothing but reverence for you, Link. I hope you know that our kingdom owes you a great debt of gratitude," Zelda said, as she looked deep into his eyes. She wanted him to know that she was not just saying empty words, but that she indeed meant it.

"That you say such things, Your Highness, is enough for me." Link smiled at Zelda, the first smile she had seen from him since she'd come. His eyes brightened like the sun over a mountain when he smiled, and his face, smooth and angular, looked far more regal than any of the wispy, pale faces she'd seen on any visiting princes. Without knowing that she was doing it, Zelda's face blushed a light pink, and she smiled a modest smile at Link.

"Now that our two crests are unified together, I believe it will overpower the witches' enchantment, and you and I will be able to leave here if we leave together," Zelda explained. "However, I know this is sudden, and you have already lost so much, but I am afraid your home may also be gone once you leave."

Link sighed deeply. Still holding Zelda's hands in his own, he slowly brought them up to his lips, and kissed them gently. Zelda held her breath as he spoke.

"Your Highness… _Zelda_ …I am sorry that you have lost your best friend, and that you are now who has the crest," Link lowered his head. "I have lost my best friend, my herd, and indeed, everything I once knew. I will always be grateful that you have awakened my mind from its slumber," Link said slowly. "If leaving this place means that my life can continue on, as it was meant to, then I want it to. And if it also means," Link stood up, and turned away from the table, "that I must face the Demon King Ganon again as well, then so be it."

Zelda stood up, amazed that the Hero of Legend was truly everything that everyone ever said he was. He was handsome, and brave, and noble. He was so much greater than she had ever thought possible.

"Zelda, once we leave here, I will need to retrieve the Master Sword from Hyrule Castle-"

"Link, I have brought it with me! I am carrying it on my back, under my cloak," Zelda said excitedly, happy she would be able to help the Hero of Legend.

"Thank you greatly, Princess Zelda," Link said, bowing slightly. Link picked up his green tunic from the chair, and pulled it over his head, then fastened a leather belt around his waist. He took two steps toward the young Princess and met her eyes as he stepped behind her. Zelda unfastened her cloak, and Link lifted it from her shoulders. He set it upon the chair, and she turned to face him. As she struggled with the heavy buckles of the Master Sword's scabbard, Link set his hand upon hers, and with a wide grin, gently pushed them away.

"I would venture to say, Zelda, that I may be more familiar with this sword than you." Link laughed, and Zelda blushed as she allowed him to unbuckle the heavy sword from her shoulder and waist. Link carefully unfastened the sword, his hand occasionally brushing gently against her. He then proceeded to buckle it again onto his own body. Zelda was so overcome by the charming, handsome Hero, she thought she might faint. She smiled to herself at her childish reactions, and Link displayed a slightly visible grin as he caught her bemused expression. He turned his glance away momentarily and sighed as he remembered the gravity of the situation they were facing.

"Zelda," Link said, taking her hand in his yet again, "you know the story, I am sure. I was unable to kill the Demon King Ganon by myself. We were too evenly matched, and at that time, only I knew that there was a third crest. I am sure he must know by now, if he has escaped the Temple I had imprisoned him in, that the third crest exists and that you have it. I imagine, that you would not have sought me out, if you did not completely understand what your role in this would be. Am I correct in this, Princess?"

Zelda looked up into Link's deep blue eyes. "You are. I will be fighting the Demon King together with you, and together we shall destroy him forever."

Link smiled, and kissed Zelda's hand. "You were so brave to come here alone to find me. You knew the story, and you knew what your part would be, and yet you still came. I do not know how much this may mean, having lost everyone else in my life, but…there is no one I would rather risk my life with right now, than you, Zelda."

"I feel…quite the same, Link." Zelda smiled as her eyes brightened with determination. "Now I think we have nothing left, but to leave this place, and find the Demon King."

"Indeed, Zelda. Let's go." Still holding Zelda's hand, Link led her to the main doorway of his treetop home. He paused, then grabbed a bow and quiver of arrows from off his wall.

"You should at least have _some_ weapon. Do you know how to fire an arrow?" Link asked, as she set the bow and quiver over her shoulder.

"Better than _you_ , I'd wager," Zelda grinned, and Link laughed.

"Well then, Your Highness, I look forward to seeing your skill in action," Link said. He also grabbed a leather band holding a small glass bottle from off a shelf.

"Believe it or not, in my travels to find the Demon King, the Goddesses led me to a fountain of fairies that could heal my body," Link said, showing Zelda the tiny bottle before tying it around his neck. "I have one in this bottle. I do not know if it would help you, but better to take it with us, just in case." Suddenly Link's face fell, and he turned to look at his home one last time.

"I…don't even know where I will go, once I leave here. My home will be gone," Link said sadly, and Zelda squeezed his hand gently.

"I could make no greater promise in my life," Zelda said firmly, "than to promise that you will always have a home in Hyrule Castle. We could do no less for the Hero who will have defeated the Demon King _twice_."

"You sound so sure of me," Link replied, the smile returning to his face.

"That is because I am." Zelda returned Link's smile, holding his gaze for just a moment. Link nodded gently in her direction, then opened the door to his home, and peered out into the vast darkness of the Black Forest.

Link and Zelda stepped out onto a small balcony outside the door of Link's treetop home. As they did, all light behind them in the home extinguished, and the enchantment ended. Link sighed quietly, yet never turned his face away from the clearing where his herd used to graze in front of his home. Link and Zelda were now in total darkness, with the exception of the bright moonlight shining down upon them.

"Come on, Zelda. We are out in the open here. We need to get to the ground quickly. Where is your horse?" Link asked quietly as he glanced around.

"My horse is tied up in the barn. I do not think I was followed here, but…"

Suddenly, Zelda's words were interrupted by a bevy of cackling laughter, echoing through the wide open grazing pen. Zelda could hear the snorts and stamping of terrifyingly large draught animals, and see scant images of flashing steel like lightning bugs in the dark, there and then gone, there and then gone…and she inhaled a deep breath. Link squeezed her hand.

"Follow me, keep your head down… _now_!" Link whispered urgently. Zelda hesitated for just a second, immobilized by fear, and Link grabbed her around her waist. Seizing a thick rope hanging from above the balcony, Link swung down toward the ground carrying the young Princess, who clutched him tightly until her feet were on solid earth.

"I know you are scared, but you can do this. I will keep anything from harming you… now run!" Link commanded. The pair set off swiftly toward the decrepit barn, where Zelda's horse could be heard nervously neighing. An arrow squealed past Link's shoulder, clipping him slightly, but not causing much of a wound.

Link and Zelda reached the barn, breathless not from running but from fright. Zelda almost felt safer in the open grazing field than in the darkened barn. The horse reared and stomped its foot as Zelda ran her hand along its mane to comfort it. Link untied its rein and handed it to Zelda, as he stepped to the barn door to peer outside. Suddenly he jumped, as a rumbling, snarling voice could be heard booming across the field.

"I can smell your blood, Hero of Hyrule!" the voice mocked, as others around the field began laughing and chortling. "No more hiding…It is time we took up where we left off!"

Link stepped quickly to Zelda, whose wide, terrified eyes reflected the bright moonlight. "Zelda, there is no preparing for this battle. We are here and we fight now." Link reached for Zelda's hand, and as he did, both of the Triforce crests upon their hands began to glow. Gazing into Zelda's eyes, he brought her hand to his lips, kissing it yet again as he did in his home. "I may never have another chance again, to give you my thanks. You freed me from my imprisonment. Now it is time that we freed Hyrule from this demon, finally and forever."

"Let us ride out together, then, to meet him where he stands!" Zelda declared, handing Link the reins. Link nodded, then set his foot into the stirrup and leapt upon the horse. He reached down and grasped Zelda's arm, pulling her up behind him. The horse bolted from the old barn, and out into the vast moonlit brush of the grazing field.

Arrows whizzed past Link and Zelda's heads, and the pair suddenly realized that they were in the midst of a full-on battle in the terrifying dark of night. A gruesome, guffawing monster upon a giant pack beast rode upon their right, alongside their own galloping horse. As Link held the reins, Zelda pulled an arrow from her quiver and set it aflight, landing it into the neck of the screeching brute. As the monster fell dead from his oxen-pig-like mount, Zelda set another arrow aloft into the snarling pack beast just as it had turned to charge toward them. Zelda shouted in triumph as Link laughed in disbelief.

"Let me never question your word, or your skill, again!" Link yelled to Zelda behind him, as another mounted beast hurtled toward them. "Zelda, I have to draw my sword and I fear I could strike you; I have to set you down!"

"Do what you must!" Zelda yelled back, and Link pulled back on the reins to stop the horse's stride. Link and Zelda instinctively grasped arms together as Link swept her from the horse's saddle and set her down upon her feet. With a loud, "Hey-YAHH!", Link spurred his horse on toward the charging beast, and he drew the Master Sword from his back.

Zelda felt the tiny rush of a breeze as an arrow coasted past her ear, and she dropped to one knee to stay close to the ground. Twenty paces away, Link swung his sword widely upward as he passed his challenger, and the beast fell with a muted grunt to the ground. The monster's giant mount, now without a rider, spotted Zelda on the ground and bolted to ram her. Without hesitation, Zelda drew another arrow and released it, striking the demonic animal in the chest as it charged. Silently, the hulking swine fell just steps before her. Link tugged the reins to his left, and swung back toward where Zelda still knelt upon the ground.

"Zelda! Are you hurt?" Link yelled in a gasping voice.

"No! But one remains behind you, Link! Turn your horse!" Zelda gasped as Link yanked his reins to turn. He was caught off-guard, however, and the final mounted beast thrust a massive curved blade at Link's chest. Link swung his sword up to block the strike, but the assault knocked him from his horse.

"Link!" Zelda yelled, as the petrified horse turned and ran from the field, leaving a stunned Link upon his back and a crouching Zelda at the mercy of the frightening mounted beast. With a growling laugh, the beast raised its sword to attack Zelda, but Link rolled quickly to his side and struck upwards with his sword. The thrust of the longsword pierced both the demonic animal and its beastly rider, and Zelda screamed in terror as they fell dead to the ground. The Master Sword was still within the beasts, and Link hurried to his feet to withdraw it from his assailants.

"Zelda," Link began as he glanced around the moonlit field, "there is but one shadow that remains on this battlefield, and I know it well." Link reached down his hand to help Zelda to her feet. "There stands the Demon King Ganon."

Across the trampled grass of the field stood an immense figure, easily twice the size of Link himself, brandishing a sword that seemed to glow with all the fire of hate and death itself. His blazing red hair reflected the rays of the moon, and his amber eyes glared at the companions unwaveringly. Wearing no armor, as if he feared nothing, the Demon King stood silently. Both Zelda and Link straightened themselves upright, and Link held his sword at arm's length as Zelda stood next to him. The Demon King took one pounding stride toward them, stepping from the shadows of the Black Forest and out into the light of the half-moon above them.

"Young Princess," the Demon King snarled, "this boy could not defeat me before, nor could he defeat my witches. He lay imprisoned in ignorance, unknowing his own fate until you released him yourself." Ganon took another 2 pounding steps toward Link and Zelda, and now was only about 15 paces away. "Will you trust him to save your villages? Your people? Your kingdom?"

Link said nothing, and Zelda could hear that his breathing was measured and deliberate. He was not afraid. Her own fear began to dissipate, and she drew an arrow from her quiver.

Seeing her action, the Demon King laughed. "Before you make your final mistake, Princess, I offer you a chance to protect your kingdom. Should you side with me, I will assure that your people will not suffer. As long as they obey…as long as _you_ obey," Zelda saw a sneer form on the shadows of the Demon King's face, "no one has to die."

The Demon King began to take slow strides toward Link and Zelda, and Zelda could see Link's arm become rigid and his stance tense. Suddenly, Link turned his face slightly toward the frightened princess, and he smiled a half-smile as his eyes met hers.

"The demon is right, Zelda… _I cannot defeat him alone_ …" Link spoke with an edge to his voice, and Zelda understood immediately: She would need to attack alongside Link himself. As Ganon strode within a few paces of the companions, Link's breathing slowed, and Zelda waited for Link to strike.

Suddenly Ganon rushed at Zelda, his smoldering sword held high in his grasp, a growling roar emitting from his throat. Link lunged between the two, and swung his longsword at the massive Demon King. The Demon King grunted loudly as his sword clanged against Link's, and Link shouted and yelled as he fended off each of Ganon's blows. At times, Ganon's sword would glance slightly against Link, or Link's sword would graze Ganon's body, and the two warriors began to show bloodied wounds. They were indeed evenly matched swordsmen, and it became apparent that the holder of the third Triforce crest would need to battle as well, in order for one to best the other.

Zelda stood stunned for just an instant, then collected her determination as she nocked an arrow. As she drew back, Link did as well. Link thrust his sword into the chest of the Demon King just as Zelda released her arrow into the Demon King's heart. Ganon growled loudly, coarsely, as black blood began to stream from his mouth and chest. As he fell backward to the ground, Zelda stepped quickly forward to make sure her kingdom's assailant was finally dead.

"Zelda, don't!" Link yelled, and as she turned, Ganon sent his arm up one final time, thrusting his sword into the young Princess's belly. The Demon King's arm collapsed lifelessly to the ground, pulling his sword with it, just as Zelda clutched her body and fell.

"ZELDA!" Link shouted, rushing to her side. He dropped to his knees beside her and allowed his sword to fall heavily from his grip. He gently set his hand behind her and lifted her head and shoulders. Blood flowed from her belly, and in the faint light, Link could see her strength fading.

"Oh Goddesses, Zelda…" Link breathed heavily, trying to stave off the panic he felt. He set his hand upon her wound desperately. "You must live! I will get you to the castle, and…"

"Link, is he dead?" Zelda whispered, as she set her hand upon Link's. Link cast a glance backward toward the Demon King, then returned his gaze to Zelda.

"Yes, you have done well…we've defeated him, Zelda…He's dead; we've-"

"Then all is right, Link," Zelda could barely speak. Tears streaked in jagged paths down her face. "Tell my family I love them, Link. And…thank you, again, Hero," Zelda took in a heavy breath, and her eyes began to slowly close.

"No, Zelda! You cannot die! I…" Link's mind raced frantically, and he thought of the Healing Fairy in the bottle on his neck. In an instant, he grabbed the tiny bottle and pulled the stopper out with his teeth. Spitting out the cork, he assumed the fairy would encircle the young Princess and heal her as it had done for him in the past… _but it didn't_. The fairy began her flight around Link's body to heal _him_ , and Link wailed in anguish.

"NO! I _cannot_ let you die!" he screamed. Just as the tiny fairy was about to finish her curing flight around Link, he set his lips to Zelda's, in a last desperate hope that, in his kiss, he could pass the fairy's healing magic to her through his life's breath.

As Link's lips held to Zelda's, emotions of friendship, of devotion, of passion and of the love he wished to share ignited in Link's heart, and the fairy passed from the young Hero to the dying Princess. The fairy now danced around Zelda, healing her dire wound. A new feeling of hope and promise replaced Link's desperation. As his simple, heartfelt kiss continued, and as Zelda's life returned to her, she returned Link's affection to him. The sounds of the leaves falling from the trees and the forest life around them began to fill the silence from the deadly battle they'd just survived, and Link breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he released his kiss.

"Zelda," Link whispered as his eyes met with Zelda's, "I…Are you hurt still? Have I…have I done enough to save you?"

Zelda smiled as she set her hand upon his cheek. "You have saved me. And you…you _kissed_ me."

"I _had_ to. I…could not let you…" Link searched for the words to match the feeling that encompassed his whole being. "I think I love you," he finally replied. "If you did not live…my body might have survived this battle, but my soul would have died with you." Link's breath was anxious and fast, and Zelda could feel his heart beating as he held her close to his chest.

"I shall…" Zelda paused, searching for her own words, "I shall forever feel grateful that the Goddesses brought me to you…and…that they saved me for you, as they saved you for me. I love you, too."

Link gazed into Zelda's eyes, then slowly set his lips to hers again. The two battle companions, who before had been separated by time and enchantment, kissed as new lovers beneath the gentle light of the moon. Suddenly, a short distance away, Zelda's frightened horse whinnied. Both Link and Zelda laughed at the interruption.

"Brave knight," Zelda began, a bright smile on her face, "would you do me the honor of escorting my horse and myself back to my home?"

"Your Highness," Link laughed, "I would do anything you ask."

"That is good," Zelda replied, grinning, "because…I would do anything you ask as well."

"In that case…" Link stood up, and helped the young Princess to her feet. Gazing into Zelda's eyes, Link smiled. Then he reached for her hand, and lowered to one knee before her.


End file.
